Harper dismisses green plan conflict

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Prime Minister
Stephen Harper dismissed suggestions on Tuesday that Ottawa's
new climate change plan conflicts with a more aggressive policy
being pursued by British Columbia.

The federal government is targeting larger emitters with
rules on emissions of the greenhouse gases blamed for climate
change, while the province's planned carbon tax is aimed more
at consumers, Harper said.

"Contrary to some commentary, the national plan and British
Columbia's plan complement each other," Harper told a business
luncheon in Vancouver.

British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, who was also at
the event, echoed Harper's comments and said Ottawa has told
the provinces they can pursue their own plans as long as they
do not undermine federal policies.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has expressed concern that
Canada could end up with a patchwork of conflicting rules to
reduce emissions, which could eventually hurt the economy.

Environmentalists have praised British Columbia's proposals
while panning the federal government's.

The Pacific coast province has vowed to cut carbon
emissions 33 percent by 2020, while Ottawa has targeted a 20
percent cut.

Last month British Columbia unveiled North America's first
comprehensive carbon tax on fossil fuels, and plans mandatory
caps on carbon emissions to set up a carbon credit trading
market with several U.S. states.

The Conservative federal government has shunned the carbon
tax idea. It has also said it would support setting up a carbon
market, but wants to impose less restrictive "intensity" caps
on industrial emissions.